Fort St. John BCGEU workers to join province-wide strike

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The next phase of the BC General Employees’ Union’s (BCGEU) job action will include members from Fort St. John.

BCGEU represents approximately 191 workers in Fort St. John, and it is one of eight cities where picket lines will be set up on Tuesday, September 9th, according to a statement from the union in Surrey on Monday, September 8th.

The others are Kamloops, Nanaimo, Nelson, Williams Lake and Smithers along with new demonstration sites in Surrey and Victoria, putting the total at 22 sites around B.C.

The union has been on strike for just under a week, beginning on September 2nd after the Labour Day weekend.

Union president Paul Finch made the announcement for the second phase in Surrey on Monday, saying the government’s offer of a 4.5 per cent pay increase over two years “does not meet the need of workers” in B.C.

The offer would be made up of both general wage increases and cost-of-living allowances. Meanwhile, BCGEU is asking for an 8.25 per cent wage raise, something the Ministry of Finance says only tells “part of the story.” 

The government estimates the union’s offer will amount to $200 million in “additional compensation increases,” according to a story from the CBC.

Finch told Energeticcity.ca he disputes this, alleging government representatives did not show up for labour talks last week in Victoria.

“I think it is objectionable that the ministry is making these claims,” said Finch. “What we’ve seen is, over the past three years, our contract was below inflation. Over the past 10 years, our contracts cumulatively have been below inflation.

“The government is now trying to change the goalposts – in this case, put up fake goalposts. I’ve seen the costing document they put out. What they’ve done is, they’ve taken those items inside of the negotiations that don’t comprise part of the general wage increase. That means it’s not a straight monetary increase for monetary increase for membership.

“What they’re trying to do is cumulatively take those proposals – which I need to emphasize are a menu, not a meal – and then trying to cost all of them.”

The union represents 95,000 members across a myriad of industries, but the job action affects the 34,000 members of public service.

On August 29th, a month-long poll saw 92.7 per cent of workers vote to strike, and job action began last Tuesday in Prince George, Victoria and Surrey.

In Area 10, encompassing most of northeastern B.C., the union represents 486 members in total. Finch says the union “will escalate sooner” to get a livable deal.

The picket lines in Fort St. John will be set up at the Francis Work Beaton Building at 10003 110th Avenue in the downtown core.

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to the Ministry of Finance and will update this story should more information become available.